1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a recoverable fishing jig and more particularly to a breakaway-jig device that is secured adjacent the terminating end of a fishing line to which a fishing hook is attached, whereby the breakaway jig can be separated from a stuck hook and retrieved with the fishing line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known in the art various problems and difficulties are encountered in providing suitable means for preventing a jig device from being lost when a trailing hook gets caught on rocks or hooked on an object submerged well below the waterline while fishing. Generally, a fishing jig is attached to the free end of a fishing line so as to attract fish and is followed by one or more hooks attached to the trailing end of the lure. When the hook is accidentally caught or snagged below the waterline, tension is applied to the line in attempt to free the hook together with the jig. However, when such a problem occurs both an inexpensive hook is lost along with a relatively expensive jig or lure.
Accordingly, many types of devices have been tried and suggested. However, these devices have various limitations and are often expensive in themselves or are complicated in their structure.
As examples of the prior art the following U.S. patents disclose various ways of trying to save a jig or lure when a hook associated therewith gets caught on an object well below the waterline. Various methods of separating the hook or hooks from a fishing line without losing the lure are disclosed. However, none of the patents discloses a jig having the features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,720 discloses a fishing spoon adapted to be attached to a line and a hook, wherein a replaceable jointless and continuous ring is positioned between the spoon and the hook. The ring has a uniform cross section and is controlled by a predetermined breaking resistance which is less than that of the fishing line. The ring will break when the hook is caught, allowing the fisherman to retrieve the spoon which is still attached to the fishing line.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,958 there is disclosed a tension release coupling that is adapted to be connected between a fishing line and a fishhook or similar arrangement, wherein the hook can be detached from the fishing line when tension is placed on the line so as to free the line due to a hook being snagged on a submerged obstacle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,422 there is disclosed a fishing lure with a separable body and hook track having hooks mounted thereto. The hook track is slidably mounted in the body member of the lure. The body member is attached to the fishing line by a first slack leader line and the hook track is connected to the fishing line by a shorter leader line, whereby the shorter leader line will break first when the hook is snagged below the surface of the water. This allows the lure to be recovered as the body member of the lure separates from the stoke hook track which is attached to the snagged hook.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,121 there is disclosed a breakaway clip which is arranged to fail at a predetermined tension level to allow the fishing line and lure to break away from a snagged hook.